House Bill Would Expand Medicare Telehealth Services

Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) has introduced legislation that would authorize an incremental expansion of telehealth coverage under the Medicare program.

Medicare restrictions on telehealth services often are cited by critics as major policy barriers to greater use of the technology in healthcare, preventing patients and providers from taking advantage of advancements in telemedicine. The Medicare Telehealth Parity Act of 2015 (H.R. 2948) seeks to expand Medicare coverage and reimbursement of telehealth services, putting them on the path toward payment parity with in-person healthcare visits, according to Thompson.